Greg Bird declares his “season is not over”

Yankees first baseman Greg Bird underwent successful ankle surgery earlier this morning at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He also released a statement vowing this won’t be the last you’ll see of him this season:

This morning I underwent a successful procedure to remove the os trigonum from my right ankle. After trying to play through the injury, I recently sought the opinion of Dr. Martin O’Malley at Hospital for Special Surgery, who provided an accurate diagnosis and performed the required surgery.

In nearly four months since first injuring my ankle, it had been increasingly frustrating to have only questions and no answers. All this time, I have wanted nothing more than to be out there playing the game I love as a member of the New York Yankees.

My season is not over. I plan to do everything in my power to return and help our team win in 2017.

– Greg Bird

After dominating Spring Training, Bird fouled a ball off his ankle and started the 2017 season on the disabled list. However, he continued to complain of ankle pain, which led the Yankees to believe something was wrong. After five months of no relief, Bird went for a second opinion, which revealed inflammation in the Os Trigonum.

Bird had the option of either undergoing surgery or a cortisone shot, with the first baseman choosing the former.

If Bird is unable to return this season, he will have a job waiting for him; Brian Cashman announced Bird will be the starting first baseman in 2018.